Genesis 34:21

These men are peaceable with us; therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; for the land, behold, it is large enough for them; let us take their daughters to us for wives, and let us give them our daughters.

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Word by word — the Hebrew

Word	Hebrew	Strong’s	Meaning
men	הָאֲנָשִׁ֨ים ha.'a.na.Shim	H582	a man in general (singly or collectively) · definite article + noun, common masculine plural absolute
peaceable	שְֽׁלֵמִ֧ים she.le.Mim	H8003	complete (literally or figuratively) · adjective, masculine plural absolute
with	אִתָּ֗נוּ 'i.Ta.nu	H854	properly · preposition with the article + pronominal suffix
dwell	וְיֵשְׁב֤וּ ve.ye.she.Vu	H3427	properly · conjunction + verb, qal, 3rd person masculine plural
land	בָאָ֙רֶץ֙ va.'A.retz	H776	the earth (at large · preposition with the article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
trade	וְיִסְחֲר֣וּ ve.yis.cha.Ru	H5503	to travel round (specifically as a pedlar) · conjunction + verb, qal, 3rd person masculine plural
land	וְהָאָ֛רֶץ ve.ha.'A.retz	H776	the earth (at large · conjunction + definite article + noun, common feminine singular absolute
large	רַֽחֲבַת ra.cha.vat-	H7342	roomy · adjective, feminine singular construct
enough	יָדַ֖יִם ya.Da.yim	H3027	a hand (the open one (indicating power · noun, common both genders dual absolute
them	לִפְנֵיהֶ֑ם lif.nei.Hem	H6440	the face (as the part that turns) · preposition + noun, common masculine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
take	נִקַּֽח ni.kach-	H3947	to take (in the widest variety of applications) · verb, qal imperfect, 1st person common plural
daughters	בְּנֹתָם֙ be.no.Tam	H1323	a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms… · noun, common feminine plural construct + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine plural
wives	לְנָשִׁ֔ים le.na.Shim	H802	a woman · preposition + noun, common masculine plural absolute
give	נִתֵּ֥ן ni.Ten	H5414	to give · verb, qal imperfect, 1st person common plural
daughters	בְּנֹתֵ֖ינוּ be.no.Tei.nu	H1323	a daughter (used in the same wide sense as other terms… · noun, common feminine plural construct + pronominal suffix

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:18-24

Here, 1. Hamor and Shechem gave consent themselves to be circumcised, Gen 34:18, Gen 34:19. To this perhaps they were moved, not only by the strong desire they had to bring about this match, but by what they might have heard of the sacred and honourable intentions of this sign, in the family of Abraham, which, it is probable, they had some confused notions of, and of the promises confirmed by it, which made them the more desirous to incorporate with the family of Jacob, Zac 8:23. Note, Many who know little of religion, yet know so much of it as makes them willing to join themselves with those that are religious. Again, If a man would take upon him a form of religion to gain a good wife, much…

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Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 34:20

Hamor and Shechem . . . came unto the gate of their city--That was the place where every public communication was made; and in the ready obsequious submission of the people to this measure we see an evidence either of the extraordinary affection for the governing family, or of the abject despotism of the East, where the will of a chief is an absolute command.

Adam Clarke on Genesis 34:17

Then will we take our daughter, and we will he gone - It is natural to suppose that the tribe of Hamor was very inconsiderable, else they would not have sought an alliance with the family of Jacob, and have come so readily into a painful, disgraceful measure, without having either the sanction of Divine authority or reason; for it does not appear that the sons of Jacob urged either. And they are threatened here that if they do not agree to be circumcised, Dinah shall be taken from them, and restored to her family; and this is probably what the Shechemites saw they had not power at present to prevent.

John Gill on Genesis 34:21

These men are peaceable with us,.... Meaning Jacob and his sons, pointing to their tents which were near their city; and no doubt more was said than is here expressed, and that these words were introduced with a preface, in which notice was taken of Jacob and his family, and their names mentioned, as here their character is given; that they were men of peaceable dispositions, harmless and inoffensive, as appeared they had been ever since they came into these parts; and there was a great deal of reason to believe they still would be, and which was an argument in their favour, to admit them to a residence among them: therefore let them dwell in the land, and trade therein; give them leave to…

Dictionary and topics

Dinah — Judged; vindicated, daughter of Jacob by Leah, and sister of Simeon and Levi (Gen. 30:21). She was seduced by Shechem, the son of Hamor, the Hivite chief, when Jacob’s camp was in the neighbourhood…
Shechem — Shoulder. (1.) The son of Hamor the Hivite (Gen. 33:19; 34). (2.) A descendant of Manasseh (Num. 26:31; Josh. 17:2). (3.) A city in Samaria (Gen. 33:18), called also Sichem (12:6), Sychem (Acts…
Deception · .Jacob’s — .Jacob’s
Dishonesty · .Simeon and Levi — .Simeon and Levi
Vengeance · . — .

Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).

Genesis 34:21

Word by word — the Hebrew

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:18-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 34:20

Adam Clarke on Genesis 34:17

John Gill on Genesis 34:21

Dictionary and topics

Genesis 34:21

Word by word — the Hebrew

Commentary

Matthew Henry on Genesis 34:18-24

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Genesis 34:20

Adam Clarke on Genesis 34:17

John Gill on Genesis 34:21

Dictionary and topics

John Calvin on Genesis 34:21-23

Keil & Delitzsch on Genesis 34:18-24

Tyndale Open Study Notes on Genesis 34:18-24

Rashi on Genesis 34:2